Slice of Life: Thanksgiving
by The Black Sluggard
Summary: It was a given they each had a lot to be thankful for... Life AU. Zombies. Slash, Ryan/Esposito.


Javier's mother had been more than happy to make room for Kevin that Thanksgiving. She was aware the two of them were very close, and had said it was the least she could do to repay him for the loyalty and love he had shown her son during the worst parts of his illness. Kevin had borne her wording a little guiltily, burdened by the fact that she wasn't quite aware just _how_ close he and Javier were nowadays. Still, it was very good of her, and he couldn't help but be grateful of the invitation... It was going to be their first holiday together—truly _together_—and that was important to him. It was important to _Javier_, though Kevin would never expect to hear his partner admit it. It was never formally addressed, but silently understood that neither one of them wanted to spend it apart... And taking Javier to meet _his_ family for the holiday would have been nothing short of painful and awkward.

"Potential disaster" probably wouldn't have been too much of an exaggeration.

Taking nothing else into account, his mother was likely to ask him why he'd never managed to patch things up with Jenny, and his father just flat out wouldn't approve of him bringing a friend to a family holiday—God help them _both_ if he introduced Javier as anything else. Not that Kevin had ever managed to keep a secret from his sisters to save his life, and his mother was usually sharp enough to pick up on it when _they_ were keeping something hidden...

And, of course, neither of Kevin's parents would have welcomed a post-vital into their home easily or naturally. Products of the last generation to grow to adulthood before the outbreaks, they were also devout Catholics. Early rulings made by the Church had allowed the forgiveness of sin and guilt for those who had slain loved ones in self defense or mercy. While many now accepted that these pronouncements had been made before recovery was found to be possible, others held on to them as truth and still believed a post-vital's soul left their body once the heart stopped beating.

He just wasn't comfortable inflicting their attitudes on Javier, not yet. Despite his misgivings, Kevin hadn't _quite_ given up hope that one day those two spheres of his life could overlap safely...it would just take time.

A _lot_ of time.

They arrived early in the morning with coffee and a bottle of wine and the intent to lend a hand, only to find Javier's sister and her husband had beat them out and still been exiled to the living room couch. Watching that greeting had been somewhat painful, but despite the awkwardness and uncertainty there had been plenty of warmth there. Only Javier wound up admitted into the kitchen—only so he and his mother could talk, and _only_ if he promised to stay out of her way.

This, apparently, was more or less par for most food-intensive holidays, or so Theresa reassured him.

Where their conversation strayed toward her brother it remained more or less on the subject of work. Kevin could sense the other questions she couldn't quite ask. He understood her reluctance. While he could have volunteered the information, he knew those questions were better answered by Javier once she was ready.

Of course, less than twenty minutes went by before they heard her mother's voice raised in irritation.

Javier came out of the kitchen, looking a little shamefaced. Kevin was concerned, but his partner smiled with a faint shake of his head. Theresa shot a quiet, uncertain glance between them as they stepped into the hallway. Once Javier closed the door to what he figured had probably been his partner's old room, Kevin watched him expectantly for several seconds before anxiety forced him to speak.

"So." Kevin prompted, hesitantly "That went…"

"Well." Javier said quickly, with a short nod that was stiff with discomfort. "It went pretty well."

"Oh." Kevin managed, relief loosening the tightness twisted up in his stomach. "Good."

They both relaxed into an easier silence, though it still wasn't quite free of tension.

"You know I'm not ready, right?" Kevin said, more quietly than he had to. Though, while instinct had him reluctant to look Javier in the eye, he still did.

Javier paused before he gave a slight nod.

"I know," he answered, just as quietly.

"It's not—" Kevin stopped himself in time to actually think about what he was going to say before he said it. "I'm not ashamed of you, or _us_, or anything. I just…"

He took a deep breath, trying to steady himself.

"If I ever had to make that choice, I'd choose you." He said finally. Firmly, because it was a conclusion he'd come to almost a month before, only weeks after their relationship began. The solid certainty of it had left him feeling guilty, but that guilt hadn't been enough to change his mind. "I _would_…but I'd rather not _have_ to."

"I'd never ask you to." Javier said softly, putting an arm around him.

The time they'd spent inside hadn't quite managed to pull the chill from the morning air out of his partner's skin, but while Javier's cheek was cold against his as Kevin leaned into him, it was a detail so familiar he barely noticed.

"Sometimes, if you're patient and you're lucky, you can get _everything_ you want." Kevin said, thinking as he did so of how he might pull it off.

There were plenty of ways for him to innocently bring a _friend_ to meet his parents. Let them get to know Javier as the man who kept their son alive every day before they had to get used to him as the man their son was so stupid in love with.

"It's kind of worked out for me so far." Kevin finished warmly, turning his eyes to Javier's meaningfully.

Javier smiled back at him, leaning in for a kiss, but an odd detail nudged at Kevin's awareness. Reluctantly, he halted his partner with a finger on his lips.

"Wait. If that went well..." He asked, brows furrowed, "Why did she kick you out of the kitchen?"

Javier leaned back with a guilty wince.

"For sneaking the liver out of the giblet bag?" His partner hazarded warily.

Kevin let out a snort, landing a kiss on Javier's cheek before giving him a gentle shove.

"Go. Mouthwash. _Now_."


End file.
